Leica LTM Summar of Love (Leitz Summar Sample Pics)

Leica M39 screw mount bodies/lenses
I love my Summar, it's an easy way to get that vintage look.

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It's a sharp lens, maybe as sharp as a 'cron at f/5.6. I have some shots which you could cut yourself on. Flare is its real problem due to the lack of coating.
 
Fort Veldhuis, 2009. Leica IIIc and Summar, probably Kodak BW400CN
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Indeed; No complaints about sharpness when stopped down to f/5.6 and smaller
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Thanks for the info Roger :]
I especially like the flare of the setting/rising sun it really gives the image its dreamy quality.

Im thoroughly impressed with everyones photo's!
Cant wait to finish my test roll with my new Summar and post a few!
 
I haven't shot any color with it yet, but I'm really loving the Summar.

Its been much sharper than I expected. I think this was shot around f/2.8. It would probably be sharper if I hadn't shot FP4 at 400 thinking I had Tri-X loaded. 😉
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/cannelbrae/5519435494/


Not much flare shooting into the sun. This was with a Hoya filter on the lens as well.
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/cannelbrae/5519437324/

At the same time, the lens still has a wonderful, older feeling to it. The lower contrast works nicely for me.
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/cannelbrae/5521439819/

Even works well when photographing company events, like those days in the lunch room making ice cream with liquid nitrogen. Love the bokeh I get with this lens - it hasn't been distracting at all.
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/cannelbrae/5522029670

To be totally honest, I didn't think I was going to like this lens. I'm not big on soft lenses, swirly bokeh, excessive flare... and it turns out I haven't had issues with any of that yet. Maybe I've just been lucky with what I was shooting or perhaps the lens is better condition than most, but I'm seriously falling for this Summar!.
 
Shot recently with Summar on IIIa with an old leitz black rim yellow (factor of 2) filter on 400Tmax. Like the old vintage feel to it. Lens can be quite sharp if you nail it right, especially at the center.

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I've just shot a semi-scientific (heavy tripod, cable release, USAF test chart at 2 metres) comparison of the Summar, Summicron DR and Elmar red scale at f/2 (where applicable), f/4 and f/8. I'll post the results when the film is developed but I *think* the Summar may surprise everyone at f/4 and f/8, although the Summicron DR is legendary.

One pleasing thing is that all three lenses focused exactly the same with the rangefinder. Originally I was going to scale focus, using a tape measure from the film plane, but since there was perfect agreement (and I've previously checked the rangefinder with at least one of the lenses and a tape measure), I decided the focus was accurate enough anyway. The M focusing patch (sorry, I know this is an LTM board) is much more accurate if you use it as a split-image rather than as a coincidence device; the latter is very inexact.

My unscientific opinion based on shooting with the Summar is that it is the sharpest of my 50mm lenses - right down to film grain level at f/4. Here's a small unsharpened 100% scan at 3600ppi. That's a six FOOT by four FOOT print.
 
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You have to find one that isn't scratched - apart from that, they clean up pretty well because there are no coatings to deteriorate. CRR Luton will polish and (if you want, although I can't see the point) coat a damaged front element on a Summar.
 
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